Recently, I overheard a young woman ask her mother for meal ideas she could make now that she was going to be on her own. The mother said to her “the cheapest and easiest thing for you to make are sandwiches”, the girl asked her “what else?” and the mother replied, ”just sandwiches, don’t complicate things, just get bread, cheese, and some meat slices”, to which her daughter replied “I don’t want to eat sandwiches every day for every meal” and the mother answered, “then, get some cereal”.

I wanted to help the girl, talk to her, and give her some ideas; but I’m sure that would not have been well received. I hope that she was able to find ideas to add to the sandwiches and cereal, maybe from a blog, a friend, or a roommate.

I was not able to help this girl, but I’m hoping that I can help others in need of ideas for simple meals that are not expensive. I agree that sandwiches can make simple, inexpensive meals, and you can get very creative with them, so I’ll start my list with them.

Sandwiches and Wraps

Sandwiches can be made healthy and delicious. They don’t need to be limited to deli meats and cheese or peanut butter and jelly. You can have fun and get creative with sandwiches by using a variety of ingredients and trying different kinds of bread such as rolls, pita bread or flatbread. You can also use tortillas to make wraps. You can keep the sandwiches simple or you can add other ingredients and seasonings you may enjoy.  You can also make open-faced sandwiches or toast. Make them more nutritious by adding veggies you may find on sale when you do your groceries. For instance, in addition to lettuce and tomato you can add bell peppers, celery or cucumber. Some economical sandwich ideas you can try include:

• Grilled cheese
• Egg salad
• Tuna salad
• Cheese and apple
• Cucumber and cream cheese
• Shredded rotisserie chicken (store-bought) – you can add ranch dressing or BBQ sauce
• Pizza – use pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese and any toppings you enjoy
• Avocado toast
• Cream cheese toast – you can make sweet or savory

Baked Potatoes

Baked potatoes can make a simple and delicious meal, and they’re easy to make. Just wash, dry, and prick with a fork in a few places, then drizzle with oil, sprinkle some salt and put in a 400° oven for about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the potatoes. You can bake a few extra potatoes for a later meal. You can make the baked potato into a light or a hearty meal depending on your toppings.

• Sour cream and chives
• Sour cream and salsa
• Salsa and cheese
• Pasta sauce and cheese
• Steamed broccoli and cheese
• Grilled vegetables
• BBQ chicken – you can make it using a store-bought rotisserie chicken, top with coleslaw
• Ground beef – you can add taco seasoning, salt and pepper, add onion powder, garlic powder, or any premade seasoning blends you like. Add other ingredients such as onion, peppers or beans and cheese.

Pasta

Pasta is another inexpensive ingredient that you can use for a simple meal. Macaroni and cheese is a comfort food for many; however, there are other flavor combinations that you can add to your pasta to make more flavorful dishes, and it’s very easy to prepare. The instructions on the package are very easy to follow. Then all you need is your creativity to play with the different flavors you enjoy, as simple or as complex as you like.  

• Just add pasta sauce, there are many bottled pasta sauces that accentuate a variety of flavors such as garlic, basil, vodka, vegetables, or meat. There are also different types of pasta sauce such as chunky, spicy, or Alfredo sauce. With so many choices, you are sure to find a favorite.
• Add sausage, hot dogs, ground beef, meatballs, or shredded chicken
• Add spinach, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, peppers, or zucchini

Store-bought Rotisserie Chicken

This is a simple and affordable option. The chicken is pre-cooked and it’s enough for several recipes for one person. It also freezes well, allowing you to store leftover chicken for later use.

• You could choose to just eat a piece of chicken with a side of potatoes, vegetables or salad.
• Shred and use to make simply chicken tacos, burritos, or quesadillas. Top over corn chips to make chicken nachos. Be creative with the toppings; you can add salsa, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, green onions, avocado, peppers, cilantro, hot sauce, cheese and/or sour cream, for instance.
• Add mayonnaise to make a chicken salad. You can add other ingredients according to your taste such as mustard, celery, onion, carrot, apple or grapes, for instance. Other than in a sandwich, you can add it to a salad, use lettuce to make wraps, or eat it with crackers.
• Chicken noodle soup. All you really need is chicken broth, noodles, mixed vegetables, and shredded chicken. You can play with the flavors by adding onion, garlic or celery. Just play around with the ingredients to create recipes you enjoy.

Canned Tuna

Not everyone is a fan, but tuna is an inexpensive option to create simple meals. Other than the option of making a tuna sandwich or a tuna melt, you can also:

• Make tuna salad by adding mayonnaise as well as other ingredients you may like such as mustard, onion, celery, dill, or lemon juice, for instance. You can eat the tuna salad with crackers, in a bed of greens or in a pasta salad.
• Make a tuna casserole. There are plenty of delicious recipes; but, simply put, you mix the tuna, with some noodles, a sauce or creamy soup, some vegetables such as mushrooms, peas, or mixed veggies, and you top with some cheese and/or breadcrumbs, if desired, before you put it in the oven. These are canned, frozen, and prepackaged ingredients that can easily be combined for a simple, but delicious meal.

Eggs

Another affordable ingredient that is easy to prepare is the egg.

• An omelet makes a very simple, yet satisfying meal. You can add any ingredients inside such as spinach, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, chicken, sausage, bacon, cheese; the list is endless. Just use your imagination and any leftovers you may find.
• You can make scrambled eggs for lunch adding any ingredients such as those previously mentioned. Top with beans salsa or hot sauce.
• Serve with a side of potatoes, veggies or toast.
• Use a tortilla to make a breakfast burrito, adding any vegetables, meats, salsa, guacamole, sour cream and cheese.

No cook meal ideas

If you don’t feel comfortable cooking yet, here are some simple, no-cook meal ideas to get you started in the kitchen. You can find plenty of recipes, and even whole books on these meal ideas. These can be made healthy and nutritious by adding whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts or nut butters when possible.

• Smoothies/smoothie bowls
• Yogurt bowls
• Yogurt parfaits
• Overnight oats
• Breakfast board. You can use yogurt, cream cheese, almond or peanut butter dips or spreads. You could also use Nutella or maple syrup. Add any fresh fruits you like.  You can also add toast or waffles, cut into strips. Just be creative using what you have available or what you find on sale to keep it affordable. You can use any leftover ingredients in other meals or snacks throughout the week. If you don’t think you’ll use the leftover fruit right away, just freeze it and use it in a smoothie or a smoothie bowl.
• Sandwiches
• Wraps or Roll-ups
• Salads
• Lettuce wraps
• Mini charcuterie board
• Hummus (or any other dip) board. You can use guacamole, ranch, or onion dip, for instance. Add any vegetables you like such as carrots, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, or cucumbers; add pita chips, crackers, flat bread, or any bread you prefer.

Quick-cooking and easy meal ideas

If you feel comfortable using the oven and the stove but want to keep it simple, there are plenty of easy recipes using affordable, quick-cooking ingredients. At first glance, they may seem plain and boring dishes; however, by playing around with your ingredients, you can create meals you enjoy. For instance, a quesadilla could be as simple as tortillas and cheese, but what about adding some shredded chicken, sausage, mushrooms, spinach, beans or any combination of ingredients you like? You can do the same with pasta, just channel your creativity; however, if you don’t feel comfortable doing so yet, just follow the recipes you find for any of these meal ideas.

• Quesadillas
• Grilled cheese or sandwich melts
• Flatbread or bread pizza
• Pasta dishes/pasta salads
• Couscous, tiny grains usually made from semolina, that can be used in hot or cold recipes
• Rice dishes: you can use regular rice or, for a quicker option, you can use instant rice. By adding some vegetables and store-bought chicken, you can quickly make a stir-fry or a rice bowl. For the stir-fry, you can buy already mixed frozen stir-fry vegetables, or make a mix using the vegetables you prefer or have available. There are endless topping ideas you can use for the rice bowl that can make a very satisfying meal.
• Egg dishes: omelet, egg muffins, scrambled eggs, frittata, breakfast casserole, breakfast burrito
• Soups: canned, boxed, or make your own. You can find very easy, quick, and affordable soup recipes online. 
• Potato dishes: tater tot casserole, hash brown casserole, loaded fries, baked potatoes
• Loaded nachos
• Pancakes or waffles, both of which you can make sweet or savory

Takeaway

Ingredients such as bread, potatoes, and pasta may not always make the healthiest meals; however, their nutritional value can be improved by adding whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables, while still keeping the meals affordable.

Start by adding one or two types of fruits and vegetables that you find on sale each week. You may choose one fresh and one frozen to start with; that way you can avoid wasting food and, thus, wasting money.

Find a diversity of uses for your chosen ingredients. For example, if you did not find a vegetable or a fruit appetizing in one recipe, try it in a different one. You may find that you enjoy a vegetable prepared one way and not another. For instance, my oldest daughter does not like raw spinach, but she really likes it cooked in pasta or scrambled eggs. Meanwhile, my youngest daughter doesn’t care for sautéed spinach, but she likes adding it to a salad or a smoothie.

Even when you have found recipes you love for each meal, try to keep one day open to try a new recipe or to tweak a recipe more to your liking. You could just choose to try a different type or brand of bread, or a different spread for your favorite sandwich, a different kind of sauce for your pasta, or a different kind of cheese for your flatbread pizza. You can make meals fun, while still keeping them simple and affordable.

Being on your own is a great opportunity to try new things and to play with your ingredients while finding and creating recipes you enjoy. Keep a log of the recipes you try and the ingredients you like. You’ll soon have a collection of recipes you will want to keep on a weekly or bi-weekly meal rotation.